Ireland’s pioneering new music company, Crash Ensemble, are proud to announce their highlight show of the year which is of special significance due to its world premiere of an important new Yeats-inspired collection of songs written by the ensemble’s artistic director Donnacha Dennehy. This work was commissioned by Dawn Upshaw with funds from the Arts Council and will be performed on the night by the four-time Grammy Award-winning U.S. soprano Ms Upshaw herself (also well known for her global smash ‘Górecki’s Third Symphony’ with the London Sinfonietta).

During the evening there will many more world-class performances including new music from the Americas by Argentina’s Osvaldo Golijov performed by his long-time muse Dawn Upshaw; Ireland’s own internationally distinguished sean nós singer, Iarla O’Lionáird will perform Dennehy’s “deeply expressive” (The Irish Times, 2007) Grá agus Bás; plus the Crash Ensemble will perform music by New York’s cult composer/performer extraordinaire John Zorn!

Following the evenings performance Crash Ensemble will be going directly into the studio to record both Dennehy works for Nonesuch Records, home to Steve Reich and John Zorn amongst many others (estimated release, Spring 2011).